F-Stop Printing Made Easy: the Filmomat Darkroom Timer Review
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- I got a beautiful object to try in my darkroom - the Filmomat F-Stop Timer! In film photography, everything is light stops - except the printing timing. Why that happened, how it got changed, and how to get perfect informative test strips for your prints - all in this video.
*The video is not sponsored
00:00 Intro
01:14 - Unpacking and first impressions
03:57 - Why f-stop printing? What's so special about f-stop timers?
04:28 - F-stops in film photography (aperture, shutter speed, ISO)
05:47 - Traditional darkroom test strip: the downsides
06:22 - The invention of the f-stop printing method
07:00 - The upsides of f-stop printing
07:46 - The benefits of using an f-stop timer
08:52 - Making a test strip with the Filmomat timer
11:42 - Dodging&Burning limitations
12:42 - Practical considerations for the use of the timer
14:56 - Conclusion: is this timer worth buying?
Shop the Filmomat timer: www.filmomat.eu/shop/timer
instagram: / linabessonova.photography
Such a cool timer! I also use F-Stop printing using Gene's method. First I do test strip to drill down the base exposure with a base of seconds, 4,8,16,32. The stop that looks best is then entered into the F-Stop Calculator app and I get 1/3 stops, do more test strips to confirm the exposure. That's how I do it. The timer sure could come in handy.
Lina is lovely ; however ....that F Stop Timer .... WOW is a knock out ♥
It just overshadows EVERYTHING
I have never seen such a device before. This saves a ton of effort. For the amateur photographer, it's probably not worth it, but i can see how it would massively improve the workflow in a professional darkroom. Cool.
I've been using the RH Designs Analyser Pro for the past 8 years (its buttons so would not have been to your liking). It was expensive to purchase initially but has paid for itself in terms of flexibility and going straight to the final print (on a lot of occasions) as you can take exposure readings via its dedicated sensor. Its nice to see alternatives emerging onto the market that will hopefully bring the concept f stop printing to a wider audience.
Oh yes, the RH designs is I think the most advanced one. It has so many settings, especially memorizing timing sequences... Buttons have been holding me back though :)
I liked the Analyser Pro, and used it with a foot switch. But since I moved to a smaller place my darkroom is limited to daylight loading film tanks and scanning!
I find it is a joy using the Analyser Pro. I quite like the "clickyness" of the buttons... Dodging on top of a base exposure is really easy. Also being able to save different paper profiles (or different types of light bulb) is a great plus.
This is a nice timer. Love the knobs and switches! I switched to an fstop timer a couple of years ago when I found the fadu timer app which works with a wifi relay to control the enlarger/safelight. Built it for around $15. But, if I had 600 euros I'd jump for this one!
What a cool solution! Thank you for sharing!
Actually, there is an ideal F stop to use when printing in the darkroom. Two stops down from the largest F stop produces the sharpest image when printing. Using a larger opening or smaller opening reduces the sharpness. So it makes sense to use the time (with a glass carrier for the negative) to adjust the exposure while keeping the F stop fixed at 1.5 to 2.5 smaller than maximum.
I use Gene Nocon's original timer with a foot switch. It makes printing so much better. Keep up the good work.
I use a GraLab 450 with a handmade 1/4 stop table and it works pretty good. I got knobs to turn, though I don’t have an easy test strip sequence. But I just do 2-3 small strips held by magnet at various exposure times.
I use a regular plain vanilla timer and usually print with a constant black level. I've worked out the exposure differences (in log units, who needs f-stops?) of my paper's max black for each exposure grade using Ilford's MG filters, then from there, to make an actual print, I size and focus my print area (for 8x12, or 11x14 for example), then take the negative out and put a grade 3 filter in, then do a simple test strip to determine which time gives me the maximum black level on my paper. From there, if I want to change what grade I want to print at, I just take that number of seconds and multiply it by exposure change needed to get the same black level. Then I take a densitometer, and measure the density of the film base plus fog of the emulsion I'm going to print and add that to the exposure time so that my film base plus fog is right at max paper black.
I have a printed out table of exposure times of my most common print sizes and film stocks so when I go to print, I don't really have to do any test strips, for a given print size and film emulsion, on my normal paper, I already have a start time that typically is within a 1/4 stop of exposure of correct. At most, it's maybe bump it a couple seconds one way or another if there is a variation in paper speed or something like that. It's basically very close to right on the money if not exactly on the money most of the time.
For dodging and burning, for the type of work I do, that's not something I typically do as I rarely shoot outside of a studio, and have full control of the light, so I'm fairly standardized on a grade 2 print, and I just set up the lighting to produce what I want when it's printed.
However, I have printed a fair number of negatives that were shot natural light, and for those, I typically don't do any dodging, but instead print at the contrast that gives me the shadow details and middle grey that I want (with the max paper black, normally this is a grade 3 or 4), then I put the 00 filter in and burn in the highlights to taste, but I only go to that trouble if a standard print doesn't look good. I normally measure the negative density range, then print at a grade that fits that on the 2.1 log density of the paper and look at it and if it has stuff I'm unhappy about, then I'll do the max contrast exposure and burn in the highlights.
It's so fascinating how everyone has their own unique workflow - thank you for sharing yours!
This is a good review , very informative and shows the old alternatives , as a comparison ... Thanks Lina. 🤔 ☺
Thank you for watching!
Footswitches transform everything!
YES
My enlarger came with a Durst DES 100AT timer, and I've been pretty happy with it. It's set up for F-stop printing, but adjusting the timing is all manual based on a simple potentiometer. It's only really suitable for certain Durst systems, but it works well for me.
Great video, thanks. You can get a CY IEC Male C14 to 90 Degree Down Right Angled IEC Female C13 Power Extension Adapter to route the power cord to the top in parallel with the other cords.
Der Heiland Splitgrade-Controller arbeitet auch mit F-Stops und hat als Erweiterung auch Drehknöpfe 👍
Der Heiland Splitgrade das ist fantastisch !
I use a Metrolux timer and it fits my needs.
I have some masking tape with 1cm marks on my easel to get even width stripes.
Also i hate buttons too. Analogue controls for analogue world!
muchas gracias por activar el traductor , ahora si me gusta por cierto me sabria mal ya que estoy suscrito a tu canal que me encanta un saludo desde BARCELONA ESPAÑA.
Hi! Sorry, the subtitles didn't load because of a RUclips glitch! Barcelona is one of my favorite cities ever. You're so lucky to live there!
The RH designs timer does everything this timer does, and more for half the price.
Agree that buttons like these are MUCH better than the pressing ones. More direct and you can do it with your eyes closed. On/off switch and power cable are on the wrong place, sure. Don't know why they're not on the back, near the outputs. I'd love to have one but the price is too high for me - not to mention import taxes, which almost double the price. Also, I'm not a pro so such investment is not worth. So, I'll keep doing my basic calculations with my beloved Gralab 300. My f/stops might be not that precise but the results are fine for me :)
Thanks for the video! My best!
It's definitely not a device for everyone, and like I said, even having a timer at all is not necessary. But yeah, it's definitely a nice addition to the darkroom.
And I told Lukas about the power cable, and maybe he's gonna consider changing the location.
Do you find that the set of available step sizes (1/12-1/6-1/3/1/2) is limiting? I'd imagine that between 1/3 and 1/6 there's too much difference. Say on a 30 seconds exposure, it's 4.8 seconds or 10 seconds. Just wondering.
great video, many thanks for making it. I think if you ever used f-stop timing you'll never go back. It's much more accurate and usable for darkroom printing. Gene Nocon was right when he developed this method and since I'm doing this I'm often more satisfied with prints. Well I use a f-stop app and Wifi switch which is not half of being sexy but it was cheaper :-)
Using opal bulbs it's easy an accurate, but on my De Vere with halogen bulbs and a mechanical shutter it's useless using 0.5 seconds. But anyway I get my values which I have to use and adjust them on the old De Vere timer.
One thing I also have to mention is, using multiple intervals switching light on and off is not the same as using the complete time, eventually you have to recalculate exposure time.
And of course fiber based paper has some dry down effects you also have to regard.
app and wifi switch! Quite advanced of a technology :)
@@linabessonova yes it is not that easy, but the APP is fantastic, you also can use it without a relay just for getting values, fadu timer is the name of the app
I use FStop timer app on my phone…. I get where I want to be then use f-Stop timer when burning… also when I make a test print I go backwards from 25 seconds at 3 sec increments… starting at o-3 seconds and up is never a time I use anyways
Which app are you using? I saw one on digitaltruth
Yes that’s the one… I find it really helpful when printing. I don’t know how much I’d get used to another timer. I’m so used to mine. With the buttons!!!
I love my GraLab 450 Timer, used in acceptable condoition can run you about 80-120 US, even the 451 can run you 150-200.
in Europe we truly have a very sad choice of timers :(
@@linabessonova if you wanted one imported to you I’d be more than glad to ship one to a PO Box
you should try a RH stopclock if you want to get in to f stop printing... This one looks to me that it misses a lot of functionality, like programming burning times in fstops, programming splitgrade prints.. Besides the this timer is around 700 euro for 500 euro you can buy RH design... Seems like you get way more bang for your buck with the OG fstop clock from RH
Look at Durst TIM 1000. It is a logarithmic timer.
Hello Lina, many thanks. I appreciated the F-Stop by "The way beyond monochrome". Now it's possible by Intrepid Enlarger after their new firmware update. Beautiful shirt 🙂
That's where I read about the f stop method too. Interesting, I didn't know Intrepid did it too - thanks for the information!
@@linabessonova yes, you should download the new firmware and update their control device, windows only, so It will change the timer e also the light intensity. Useful if you need more time for dodging e burning.
I use an RH designs Analyser Pro. Excellent machine!
yes, it's super well thought-through, but I wouldn't say it's for a beginner. I've been considering it since a while
si no activas el traductor dificil es seguir el video, lo siento no se ingles.
sorry, I uploaded the subtitles, but RUclips glitched and deleted them. All good now!
I love that shirt. Where can I get one?
Thank you! In a couple of weeks we will start selling them :) I will announce and give the link on instagram!
I can't get my head around how f-stop printing works with multigrade paper without the ND filters. My Dicromatic head gives different exposure times for different filters/grade settings. The characteristic curves for different grades demonstrates this.
I have been using the F Stop Printing Method since March 1993 Gene Nocon introduces It in Cámara Darkroom magazine .
He is just very convincing :) :)
Привет Лина! Было бы интересно, если бы вы провели экскурсию по вашему dark room. Рассказали какими камерами пользуетесь и почему, какую пленку используете и почему.
The power connection should be on the bottom of the timer.
hmm top would be optimal, because all the plugs are usually behind the enlarger. The side is maybe not optimal :(
Cut the paper into small pieces, start with one time setting, then double and double, of course with new pieces of paper. Develop each. Use a calculator app to calculate 1/3 stops. Use pieces of paper for different areas.
I know people doing it this way, but I never had the patience for individually cut test strips!
Hi. I know this Vlogger is located in Italy. Does anyone know of any good darkrooms open to the public in Italy?
Why do all these timers look like something out of the 1970s? I built a timer that is fully programmable with as many dodge or burn stages as I want, does test strips in any stop step size, switches grades and can change brightness on an LED head, controls the flasher and more, looks modern too. I'm not an electronics engineer, but it wasn't that hard.
Too much expensive. I prefer the old method f/stops so.. 5/10/20/40 seconds stripes at the first test. If I can see a good time exposure I'll go on refine the exposure in 2 seconds steps stripes. 500 euros is a crazy price for a timer.
Excellent machine, but I can't justified paying €600 for a timer. Sorry Filmomat 😅
Durst Protim is another really nice vintage timer. Not F-Stop
I'm such a fan of everything Durst. I have five of their enlargers too.